Bonn, 5 August 2015 - Dr. Hanneline Smit-Robinson has been BirdLife South Africa’s Terrestrial Bird Conservation Programme Manager since 2010 and became a trustee of the Middelpunt Wetland Trust in 2013, which was started in 1994 exclusively for the conservation of the White-winged Flufftail. She sees AEWA as important for both practical conservation work and international collaboration. The Agreement encourages, coordinates and mobilizes collaborative partnerships between governments, NGOs and individuals for the conservation of species that occur across national borders.

Hanneline’s best AEWA memory was the moment after she was fortunate enough to catch a White-winged Flufftail in a mist net in South Africa in 2013. “It was significant as we had previously only been successful in capturing White-winged Flufftails in Ethiopia. The collection of blood and feather samples are used in DNA and isotope studies respectively, to shed light on any migratory connection and patterns of occurrence in Ethiopia and South Africa. These are the only two countries where the birds are known to occur”.

Not surprisingly, the White-winged Flufftail – which is currently listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN - is also Hanneline’s favourite AEWA species. She also serves as the Coordinator for the AEWA White-winged Flufftail International Working Group, which is holding its second meeting in Ethiopia from 10 - 12 August 2015.